1. Technical Field
This invention is related to the field of integrated circuit implementation, and more particularly to the implementation of multiple power domains and voltage-level shifting of signals transmitted between various power domains.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computing systems may include one or more systems-on-a-chip (SoC), which may integrate a number of different functions, such as, graphics processing, onto a single integrated circuit. With numerous functions included in a single integrated circuit, chip count may be kept low in mobile computing systems, such as tablets, for example, which may result in a smaller form factor for such mobile computing systems.
As semiconductor process technology has continued to evolve, device geometries continue to shrink, allowing a higher density of devices per unit area. With an increased density of devices, increased levels of integration may be possible, allowing for more functional blocks with increased complexity to be integrated into a single SoC.
With higher levels of integration and higher performing devices, power consumption may be a limiting factor, particularly in mobile computing applications such as, e.g., tablets or cellular telephones. Different design techniques and architectures may be employed to limit leakage or dynamic power. Some SoC designs may employ multiple power supply voltages for various functional blocks or sub-blocks within such designs.